The axe is an iconic bushcraft tool and here naturalist John Rhyder talks us through the various axe designs, their specific uses and how best to preserve sharp, working blades for harvesting, splitting and carving wood. http://www.woodcraftschool.co.uk An Adliberate film http://www.adliberate.co.uk for WoodlandsTV http://www.woodlands.co.uk/tv

Craig Roost from facebook.com/AxeJunkies was kind enough to walk me through the displays at the Axetravaganza in Ohio, and to explain the different types of axes, and their purposes, since the axe is quickly becoming a forgotten tool in todays society.

Making a multi-functional axe for my hiking trips. Long and heavy enough to cut down a tree, short and light enough for processing fire wood, and customized head for easier handling during carving.
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Do you know the proper way to sharpen an Axe? If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success. Tools for a Lifetime
Axes are handy tools for chopping down trees, splitting firewood, hand hewing wood for building, camping purposes, and much more. Axes are no doubt useful tools, but a when an ax is dull it isn't very effective,
and work is much harder than it needs to be. Everyone who uses an ax should know how to sharpen and properly care for it. Proper sharpening will lessen the time it takes to chop wood, and proper lubrication and care will help protect the metal blade. An ax handle often breaks after repeated use, so it's also helpful to also know how to replace the handle should it break. Knowing how to sharpen, care for, and store an ax will help it last for many years.
How to Properly Sharpen an Ax
A brand-new ax right from the store isn't usually as sharp as it should be, so even if it's new, you should sharpen it before the first use. To properly sharpen the blade of an ax you'll require a vise and a medium-grade mill file. Although it seems a power grinder would make sharpening easier, never use a power grinder. A power grinder can damage the blade. A mill file will allow for better control while you sharpen the blade.
To sharpen the blade, begin by clamping the head of the ax with the edge facing up into a strong vise. Make sure the vise is securely clamped around the head of the blade. Place the medium-grade mill file flat against the blade while drawing it upwards toward the edge. Lift the file off the blade at the end of every stroke. The goal is to sharpen the blade into a convex shape while being careful not to taper the corners. The ax blade should slowly taper from a wide width down to a narrow sharpened edge. Complete the sharpening process on both sides of the blade. Look down the length of the blade to check for uniformity, and continue to sharpen the blade accordingly. After using the mill file, hone the ax blade, and sharpen it to perfection with a well-oiled round stone. Move the ax stone in a circular motion. The newly sharpened ax blade should be lubricated to complete the sharpening process.
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Join me as I display many of the ax heads I have found over the years while metal detecting. I'm not real knowledgeable about them, but try to give a few tidbits of knowledge that I think is probably right.
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A common dummy rule is to file your axe in a fan pattern,. This is an arbitrary recommendation based on a certain pattern of axe head, and not a safe general recommendation as many find out when they try to follow it. More below...
Dudley Cook, "The Axe Book" http://amzn.to/2gLwz3I
An Axe to Grind: PDF- http://www.bchmt.org/documents/education/AnAxetoGrind.pdf. Film version: https://youtu.be/22tBYD-HMtA
Woodsmanship, Bernard S. Mason: http://www.robin-wood.co.uk/wood-craft-blog/2011/01/01/woodsmanship-by-bernard-s-mason-free-download/
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It is commonly said that axe cheeks should be filed to a half moon or fan shape, or maybe more precisely that the area that should be ground on an axe should be a fan shape reaching back 3 inches from the edge. That recommendation is based solely on one basic style of axe head geometry, which is common in America, where the recommendation originates. This is a classic dummy rule that takes a recommendation with some relevance to a specific context, or in this case axe type, and applies it broadly and without qualification of any kind. The rule is dumb for two reasons. One is that it applies only to a certain type of unground axe out of the factory, and not even all American axes. Secondly, because it often states a dimension (3 inches) referring to how far back the axe is ground, which is pretty much arbitrary and dependent on the original grind of the head, like how high the centerline of the axe is and the depth, width and placement of the mid-blade hollow, assuming there is one of course.
While nearly all axes as they come from the factory must be ground to be highly functional for chopping, recommendations on how to grind them are quite variable and often somewhat vague. Bernard S. Mason's, "Woodcraft" and the USDA pamphlet that draws heavily from the same, "An Axe to Grind" both offer a template to measure the curvature of the axe from the bit inward which is more useful, and can be applied along with the fan grind principal. Dudley Cook in his excellent book "The Axe Book" http://amzn.to/2gLwz3I is the most specific about the geometry of how he preferred an axe to be ground.
Bottom line is that giving the fan recommendation with no caveats about where it is and is not applicable, and adding a dimension for the depth of the fan pattern are confusing to people trying to figure out how to grind axes that may not fit the pattern. Dummy rules are dumb. They try to replace thinking for dogma, attempting to appeal to the most ignorant common denominator rather than educating. They don't work for dummies, they make them. The functional goal is what is important, not what it looks like when finished, even if it is true in many of cases, at least in America. Education should define goals and foster understanding, not try to replace them with the easiest thing to understand as if everyone was too stupid to get it if it were actually explained to them.

The question of what the perfect edge angle seems to be a never ending debate. This video by no means covers it all but hopefully gets the point across that there is more to it that just the sharpening angle.
Everything from steel hardness, edge shape, bevel angle, weight, leverage and bit thickness effect how an axe will cut. Even things like soft or hard wood and ambient temperature will change how an axe works. Not only that but there are specialty grinds and circumstances that require sharpening an a certain way.
In conclusion there is no one grind fits all solution. This is something you need to be able to modify on the fly to something that will work for your situation.
https://www.traditional-tools.com/single-post/2017/03/06/Axe-Edge-Geometry-Performance-Considerations
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I really dislike this hatchet In spite of over 280 amazon reviews averaging 4.5 stars
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Examining, feeling and handling this tool has resulted in a lot of expletives, brow furrowing and head shaking. This will be a fairly in-depth review of this hatchet. That is the point. It is the review I would’ve liked to have seen before buying it. But there are other reasons to read this post besides deciding whether to buy this or not. I will also touch on many points relevant to hatchet design, handles and use that are relevant to anyone interested in acquiring, restoring and using hatchets. All of that relevant material will be covered elsewhere eventually, but it can be seen as something of a primer for some of the posts and videos to come in the future regarding the selection, care and use of hatchets.
I’m a huge hatchet fan. I’m frequently shocked that some people I know, who very well ought to own a decent one, don’t own even a crappy one. To be fair, some of them own large chopping type blades of some kind that serve similar purposes, but many don’t. A good chopping tool is indispensable to conducting a lifestyle that is very engaged with local resources, and to crafting and making stuff from raw wood without using power tools. A basic woodworking toolkit to me is a hatchet, a knife, a saw an a rasp. When it comes to reducing a chunk of wood to the rough shape you want to make something, hatchets are pretty awesome. I don’t necessarily favor hatchets over all other options, that is a long standing debate, and entirely contextual, but they are great for certain things and very versatile. I have been on the lookout for many years for a quality affordable new hatchet that I can recommend to people but sadly the subject of today’s review is not that hatchet. There is a popular resurgence in axes and hatchets but at this point the majority of what’s out there in terms of reviews are still by inexperienced users. As a result, there is not a whole lot of substantial well considered information to go on when researching this for purchase. I looked at quite a few reviews of this hatchet before I bought it, but I’ve been generally disappointed at the lack of critical reviews on axes and hatchets in general and just didn’t find that much that was useful. I found nothing at all like what this review will be, very critical with many points considered in the context of considerable experience.
Keep in mind in this review that I have quite a lot of experience using hatchets. I use them for carving, splitting, limbing, chopping and have packed them around a fair amount. This experience spans over a long period of time, going on about 30 years. I’ve owned and tried quite a few of them and just chopped my way through a lot of wood over the years, filing, restoring, breaking handles, re-handling, making mistakes. I do not spend much time reading about hatchets and axes on forums or anywhere else unless I’m looking for something to buy or review. It’s not a hobby, it’s an extension of my interests and lifestyle. I expect certain things from a hatchet and it has to perform in my context and not limit me unnecessarily with it’s design or build quality. I’m just running this design through my experience as a long time hatchet user who has developed opinions based on experience, which I am more inclined to trust than the majority opinion. I know this hatchet gets a lot of good reviews. It has over 280 reviews on amazon at an average of almost 4.5 stars. There are people with websites and youtube channels who seem to have none of the gripes I have with it. It is not my intent to disrespect anyone else’s opinion or experience just for the sake of it, or for the sake trying to be radical. The truth is though that I think this design is lame and I feel it’s my duty to say so plainly with no punches pulled.
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How to sharpen an Axe. Here are some of my other axes https://youtu.be/OUZ_Bdas7t8 Support us at PATREON https://www.patreon.com/essentialcraftsmanThis is a relaxing and enjoyable process, something you should do regularly if you chop a lot of wood. It only takes a few minutes but can save you a lot of extra work. Please stop by our Facebook page and give us a like or share us with someone you know who might enjoy. Thanks!
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In this video I'll show how to make an axe handle from start to finish.
I start with a plank ripped from an elm board. Trace out an existing handle I like the shape of. Then use hand tools to shape & finish.
It's a good skill to have because there are so many axes with odd shaped eyes. Many of which you can't buy a handle ready made for. Also it lets you use woods that aren't normally available like elm. Which is a fantastic wood for tool handles. Not just axes.
https://www.facebook.com/Traditional-Tools-1866444893572454/
http://www.traditional-tools.com/how-to-make-a-custom-axe-handle-from-rough-lumber/

how to choose an axe for a restoration project. Looking at old vintage axes and what to look for to find a nice quality tool that you can use that is alot cheaper than buying a new gransfors or wetterlings

I head back to Alec Steele's workshop to forge my own custom Hatchet. Alec taught me how to forge with a sledge hammer as well as how to put a handle on an axe.
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Learning to forge with Alec has been a fantastic experience! We used 1055 steel for the axe head, and ash for the handle. Forging with strikers is something I have never done before, and getting to use the Sledge Hammer to hit red hot steel is just awesome! Alec showed me the whole process on heat treating the axe head, grinding the bevel with various grits on the belt grinder. For the handle he used the band saw to carve out a rough shape. Then Alec went old school and used a draw knife to shape the edges. He finished it up on the belt grinder. To finish it off we oiled it with linseed oil. Stay tuned on my channel as I head out into the woods soon to put the hatchet to the test and practice some Bushcraft & Survival skills using the tool!
Watch me forge a knife with Alec: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQkBDvQIpcc&t=1014s
Watch me forge a flint striker with Alec: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDdJCkW6z0k
WATCH ALEC COME TO THE BUSHCRAFT CAMP IN THE WOODS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccC0f4rEbxM
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I received this axe with a broken handle. The new handle is made out of hickory, the preferred wood for axe handles. The general shape of the original handle was copied in the new handle. This video was inspired by Wranglerstar and The John Neeman Company Tool company. Thanks for watching.
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Again, thanks for watching!

Antique axe restoration
This ancient ax I found in a flea market.
As you can see the rust began to attack it.
It looks like she had a green paint,
We started restoring by removing rust with a wire brush,With a file we removed the material left from casting the ax head in shape
after which we used an abrasive disc to grinder for the removal of more persistent stains,
after the ax was well-worked
I started polishing with a wheel in the cloth which I applied a polishing paste.
after the tail was sand down i applied a special protective varnish for parquet.
The ax is very good in the garden I will use it to cut the wood for the barbecue.
I hope you enjoyed this video
Do not forget to subscribe and click on the bell to receive the notifications
I upload a new video every Friday or Saturday.
thanks a lot for viewing

Making a tapered round or oval helve for a tomahawk or belt axe that does not require a wedge to secure the head.
This is a promotional video for the New England Colonial Living History Group 1680-1760 (Armidale NSW Australia).
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Production site: Wychwood Forest, Armidale, New England NSW, Australia.
Presenter & Primitive Skills Instructor, Keith H. Burgess.
Production Managers: Carolyn Burgess and Kaelem Burgess.

Before I even started this seemingly simple project it was destined to fail. The plan was to shape the axe head and give it a polished finish then add a round shaped handle. After I started cutting the axe head I realised I needed to forge the eye of the axe head to a more round shape, but at the moment I don't have anything that would have got the axe hot enough to reforge it or harden and temper it afterwards.
(I should of realised that first, Must have been one of them days)
As I couldn't reshape the eye, making a round handle like a regular tomahawk axe was now no longer an option so I just shaped a long oval shaped handle. When I had finished I was less than impressed with the finished article, Then as I thought it couldn't get any worse after editing and rendering the video most of the audio is missing!!!!
I have tried over and over again to get the audio fixed but I cannot figure it out. So I am sorry for the lack of audio.
Overall this project was a massive failure and probably not worth uploading, but after the time and effort I put into the axe and the editing I couldn't just bin the footage.
If you are also underwhelmed with the finished product let me know in the comments below and spread the disappointment
Ahhhhh Well, On to the next one....

I picked up a Maine Wedge type axe, to experiment with after reading a periodical from 1922 recommending the Aroostook Wedge, a perfectly wedge shaped axe. Thanks to John Stanley Tool on ebay for pictures of an original aroostook wedge. http://stores.ebay.com/John-Stanley-Antique-Tools
The original Text: https://books.google.com/books?id=Bz9OAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA601&dq=aroostook+wedge&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_ju75-PbSAhWmi1QKHZB_CtIQ6AEIPDAG#v=onepage&q=aroostook%20wedge&f=false
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This is one of many axes in the boy's axe size range that I plan to collect or shape for testing and comparison. I can consume other people's ideas, speculate, randomly test and dabble randomly with axe shapes, but I'd like to have options available for direct comparison doing field work to see what I end up grabbing consistently out of preference. I may also end up doing some objective testing, we'll see. There are only 2 months left in the axe cordwood challenge, but I'd like to put a few more options to work this season.
There is a class of axe known as Maine Wedge, or wedge pattern. One, the Aroostook Wedge, is almost a perfectly straight line from the poll to the edge of the bit. Some have a high centerline in cross section and some do not. This one does not. I filed both sides completely flat at about 13 degrees, then added a narrow, flat working bevel which ended up at around 30 degrees. I hafted it up on a 27 inch handle and it's ready to start testing. How, or if I modify it from here, I'm not sure.

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For some time know I've wanted a small axe for carving or maybe taking with me on a trip. A tomahawk seemed to be the right answer for my needs, so I decided to forge one from an old ball peen hammer.
I wasn't really sure what shape I wanted it to have, so I ended with with a not so wide blade and a longer head. If I had to do it all over, I would probably make the blade a bit wider.
Thanks for watching!
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This video is copyrighted and my property and cannot be used or redistributed or published without my permission.

The manufacture of a stone ax including the handle from using only primitive tools and materials. It is a celt (pronounced "selt") a type of ax with a polished stone head wedged into a hole or mortise at the end of a wooden handle (not to be confused with a "Kelt" referring to a Celtic person). The head took about a week and a day to make as I chose to make it from a particularly large piece of basalt. The hammer stone used to shape the basalt was of quartz. This involved hammering, pecking, grinding and polishing the head into the final shape. The handle took a day and a morning to make. A chisel was made from stone and a mallet made from a log. These were used to cut the tree for the handle and shape it once down. Fire was used to harden the wood and also to help shape the mortise. The ax was then used to cut down a tree the day after the handle was a tree itself. It is a more efficient tool for felling trees than the hand ax I made and at the time of uploading this video has cut down 4 trees which I will use later. Because this stone axe is blunter than a steel one, the blade needs to hit the tree at angles greater than 45 degrees- otherwise the blade would glance off. So celts were used more like wedges than modern axes.
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Best Small Axe Under $70: http://goo.gl/wX4QDl
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Can a $40 axe cut and split wood as well as a $300 axe? Today Wranglerstar puts three axes to the ultimate test. You may be surprised who comes out on top. The three contenders are the Estwing camp axe, Gransfors Bruks small forest axe, and the Autine polished hunters axe by John Neeman.
Follow Wranglerstar on Facebook for exclusive videos, pictures, & updates. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wranglerstar/453208754723615

This video covers the process of restoring an old fiberglass handled hatchet. The handle was replaced with a piece of black walnut. The main focus here is on making a new wooden handle from scratch, but there is also some info on grinding, shaping, and sanding a rusty axe head. Also shown is how to make a wedge, and finally, setting the hatchet head to the handle.
*****
Most anything you peek into will look simple at first, but it's not true! Unless we can keep looking for long enough, it's just the surface that we see. Sometimes, when I do manage to hold my concentration for long enough, I get to briefly realize how much more complicated something was than I was thinking: complexity seems to have a tendency to surprise me every single time. Design is the classic case of this feeling. And in this case, it's hatchet (and axe) handle design that I find so downright interesting. There are different approaches and reasonings to every single curve and edge that you're likely to find on an axe. In this example, my hatchet handle emulates the consumer market's expectations of beauty: it's shiny, and tough-looking, with an exotic wood. Its curves seem soft and deliberate, as though it must have an unparalleled comfort. You might find it surprising to read that I don't even like the finished product! It's not that I did anything wrong- I made exactly what I set out to. However, I think its handle is too thick to be elegant, and walnut is just too soft to be long durable. In a way, it just doesn't matter to me; it's just another sketch. It's only an idea that I had, and I briefly indulged it. It's not perfect. But it retains a different type of beauty for me. It was made to appear both organic and shiny, like a cross between science and nature. A cyborg, like us. We are thinking, moving, eating, breathing biological bags of consciousness that have now been adapted to our own technological advance. We are married to our creation in a way that makes the two of us now inseparable. Climate control lets us take domicile in places where our much thicker-skinned ancestors would have surely died. Our homes have curves and edges that reflect our needs (both real and imagined), and we have shed our past adaptations to make ourselves more adept at accepting our present condition of comfort. All so that we may go forward, into our uncertain future design. The tool must reflect its maker, and the maker is shaped by the tools used. Curves and edges are all transitory, just as are the intentions of any creatures who can define them. As such, this design was only one of an infinite number of possible moods that I might have been in. I might have made it more utility-driven, but I didn't. I allowed a more novel idea to take partial expression. And why not? That idea is as old as tool use itself. Man was demonstrating his skill through embellishment only soon after the first hand-axes took their almond shapes, and we have been doing it ever since. Tools without uses! Waste of resources! At first glance, it might seem silly, unnecessary, or just downright self-indulgent to chase after an idea in this way. Art, for the sake of display, like an impulsive fit of noise making, right? But an idea well-expressed is a source of pride for a reason; it tells us that we have become well-fit to our environment- and with that, it is the very beginning to all of our improvements. So whether it be an idea based on evidence, rigor, and utility, or just the speculative dream of a possibility, let it take shape. We have to use our resources for something!
*****
pocket83 hatchet axe handle ax black walnut epoxy splitter log wood wedge chainsaw repair restore replace rebuild fix make shop pocket83^2

How do I choose a proper hatchet? I'm asked this question every day. It's difficult to find quality purpose built hatchets. Most of the hatchets you find in hardware stores are poor substitutes for the real thing. Fortunately, there are a few good companies left . Gransfors Bruks, Wetterling, John Neeman, and, Autine, among others, make top shelf tools and hatchets.
Follow Wranglerstar on Facebook for exclusive videos, pictures, & updates. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wranglerstar/453208754723615

The manufacture of a stone ax including the handle from using only primitive tools and materials. It is a celt (pronounced "selt") a type of ax with a polished stone head wedged into a hole or mortise at the end of a wooden handle (not to be confused with a "Kelt" referring to a Celtic person). The head took about a week and a day to make as I chose to make it from a particularly large piece of basalt. The hammer stone used to shape the basalt was of quartz. This involved hammering, pecking, grinding and polishing the head into the final shape. The handle took a day and a morning to make. A chisel was made from stone and a mallet made from a log. These were used to cut the tree for the handle and shape it once down. Fire was used to harden the wood and also to help shape the mortise. The ax was then used to cut down a tree the day after the handle was a tree itself. It is a more efficient tool for felling trees than the hand ax I made and at the time of uploading this video has cut down 4 trees which I will use later. Because this stone axe is blunter than a steel one, the blade needs to hit the tree at angles greater than 45 degrees- otherwise the blade would glance off. So celts were used more like wedges than modern axe

This is how I refurbish an axe head from a rusty chunk of steel to a clean, safe and sharpened tool ready for any firewood pile. More importantly, it's how I get my axes and hatchets sharp. The smoother the surface, the less it will tend to rust.

In this video I go through the process of restoring a vintage American made axe head I picked up at a garage sale a few years ago. I love the shape of this head and though it deserved a proper handle to show it off. Using some rough sawn ash and teak I was able to fashion up a nice looking, but also very functional handle. I then used some veg tan leather to make a sheath for the head, with a locking strap and belt loop. Follow along on this build and feel free to ask any questions in the comments below!
Also, stay tuned for another video soon detailing how to make the 3D printed stamp I emboss the leather sheath with!
Thanks for watching! Be careful, know the limits of your skills and your tools! Don't try this stuff at home!
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in this video i'm going to be casting a axe out of bronze (88% copper 12% tin) using 6.2 pounds of copper and 14oz of tin. the weight of this axe is 5 pounds & 15oz. this is a fully working axe it can split logs in half and even cut trees with out bending. if you prefer this video with out music here is the linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFm3MT9rKj4
First song used :Sappheiros - Aurora [chillstep]
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Basics of Handle Selection
Hickory makes the best handles for percussion tools like axes. You seldom see any species other than hickory offered by ax-handle companies.
There are several important characteristics you need to look for in a good ax handle. Generally, you get what you pay for, because the higher grade hickory handles sell at a premium over lower grade handles. Your new handle should be of straight grain, second growth, clear hickory. Cheap, inferior handles tend to break, split, and warp. If you are going through all the work of hanging your own ax, you should spend the extra dollars to get a high-quality handle. Some characteristics you need to look at include:
Color: The best handles are from second growth hickory sapwood, all white in color. In lower grades, various amounts of red-colored heartwood are in the handle. Grain: The highest grade does not have over 17 annual rings per inch of radius, a characteristic of faster-growing second growth trees. The orientation of the grain is critically important. If the handle is not straight-grained, it is likely to break. Defects: Various defects, including stain, holes, knots, splits, streaks, and grain deviations all diminish the grade of the handle.
Camouflaged Defects: Many less-than-perfect ax handles, often on bargain or utility axes, have defects that are camouflaged. This often helps make the ax look better, but you should recognize that good looks can hide defects. Some common techniques include staining, painting, or fire-finishing, which hardens and darkens the handle's surface.
Handles come in a variety of lengths, typically from 32 to 36 inches for 3- to 6-pound axes . Often the longer lengths work best for big timber and for splitting wood, while the shorter lengths are superior for smaller timber and general utility work. Handles can be straight or curved (called a fawn's foot). Double-bit handles are almost always straight, but for single-bit axes you can choose either curved or straight handles. My personal preference is a straight handle, usually less than 36 inches long. The handle can be oval or octagonal. Most ax manufacturers also offer axes with fiberglass or other plastic composite handles. While these may be durable and sturdy and perhaps adequate for splitting mauls, they do not provide the feel that a hickory handle offers. You also cannot customize a fiberglass handle. They are not traditional, which matters to me. And besides, they are just flat ugly.

In this video, I show you the process of how I forged a hatchet from a leaf spring in very little time. Most of the time was spent on the surface prep and tack welding of the sawblade steel insert. Next time, I wouldn't use the insert because 5160 is probably good enough for a hatchet, and I also wouldn't have changed the shape to what I did. I mainly changed the shape so I could see the quality of the weld, which was all good except for one spot on the top of the bit. All in all, this is a very simple way to make a hatchet, and produces a nice result. Use bigger springs for bigger hatchets. Also, to prevent your forge weld from coming undone, put a small bead on the top and the bottom of the bit towards the eye, so when you go to shape the eye, the bit is less tempted to split apart.
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Some common design flaws that increase likelihood of axe handles breaking near the eye. Toward better designs and modifications
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There are a number of common problems with axe handle design which can put overdue stress on the area of the handle just below the eye. This area is inherently weak, both becuase it is usually the thinnest, but also because the area below the eye is usually the thickest working part of the handle. If the rest of the handle is too rigid, undue stress is put on the area just below the axe eye. Since the thin eye portion of the handle is also coupled to a very hard and dense material, breakage in this area is very common. If the handle is tuned down to be more flexible, with less drastic differences in mass, shape and flexibility, the stress will be shared over more of the system, reducing stress on the eye by increasing energy absorption and resilience of the whole system. Improving some of these design factors could greatly reduce axe handle breakage. There are more factors and deeper discussions to have on this subject and other interrelated axe handle design issues, but this is a start.

This entire video is just talking about the handle on this axe, what I like, don't like and plans to modify it. It is probably going to seem too long to some people, but I see all points covered as important, so here it is.
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This axe might as well be seen as an unfinished partly assembled kit rather than an out of the box axe. Many axes need work when new, but this one needs quite a lot on the handle. I picked out the only sample in the store that was acceptable, the other two having fatal flaws, so beware when ordering this axe online. The handle of the Husqvarna 26" multipurpose forest axe has potential, but is poorly designed as well as overbuilt for actual practical use. It is too thick and heavy all around. This seems to be a hallmark of Husqvarna axes. As a multipurpose axe it must allow for a comfortable grip just below the eye. Not the best grip, but at least reasonable. This one is too wide and too thick below the eye, resulting in cramping and awkwardness. The total weight of the handle, aside from contributing unnecessary weight that does no work in chopping, also acts as a drag when carving. The head is not fitted on far enough creating problems that need to be addressed. One problem is that the front edge of the stem which should be in the eye is exposed. Since it is a sharp edge of wood, it is very easily damaged. The head needs to be jumped further down the handle to cover more of that vulnerable area. The issue with the head being hung too high, is that there are gaps left between the eye and handle because the ears have bottomed out and will not go on further without changing the handle shape, while the rest of the eye is not yet tightly driven on. I think if the handle were shaped differently it could have been driven on far enough. As it is the head sits too high above the shoulder and 1/2 inch of the 26 inch handle will be lost in seating it far enough.
The butt area needs just a little work. it is the area closest to a useable size as far as grip goes, but the swell ramps up too fast putting blister raising pressure on the pinky.
Overall the handle is too heavy, thick and inflexible. I like the fact that it is not too curved, but it needs work and thinning in both width and thickness. The wood seems of good quality and the grain orientation is excellent. Once it's thinned out properly, I'll put a rawhide wrap on it and oil it thoroughly with linseed oil.

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Alpha is amazed at the men's hair product drugstore options. In this video men's style, grooming, fitness and lifestyle expert, Aaron Marino of IAmAlphaM, AaronMarino, and Pete & Pedro is buying and testing drugstore hair products. He's heading to Walgreens for alternatives to Pete and Pedro Putty.
With fresh clean hair, Alpha tries each of the 5 hair products:
1. American Crew Fiber ($19.00) - the price is the same as Pete and Pedro Putty and the most expensive of these 5 products. It's fresh smelling, a bit of shine, and hold is decent although he feels it will go flat as soon as he goes outside. Overall, it remains a great product.
2. Axe Spiked Up ($9.50) - it's super messy, sticky, and paste-like. It has the highest hold of all 5 products. After styling, his hair feels dry with a waxy residue. Note that after he washed his hair, he can still smell the Axe. The scent is intense.
3. Old Spice Putty ($8.00) - smells mild and is really soft. The more you heat it up, the scent becomes stronger (and not to Alpha's liking in regard to the fragrance). The product goes into his hair easier than Axe but has a much lower hold than American Crew and Axe.
4. Dove Sculpting Paste ($7.75) - mild fragrance, stiff, and emulsifies easily. The hold is not great (it's medium; not as good as the Axe) but on-par with American Crew (and half the price of American Crew). Overall, this product was Alpha's favorite of all 5 tested.
5. Got2B Glued Spiking Wax ($7.00) - a higher hold with a mild scent and similar in consistency to Dove. It's very sticky, heavy, and waxy. This product is the least favorite in terms of performance.
Overall Thoughts
If you put any of these products in wet hair and let air dry, they'll lock it down. A cost effective and good product is the Dove Sculpting Paste. American Crew is really good too. The other three are decent, but the lower price equates to lower quality ingredients. Note that Alpha prefers Pete and Pedro Putty above all of these products and would spend the extra bucks on the hair he cherishes. Additionally, unlike other brands where one product is good, the entire line Pete and Pedro line is superior with super high quality.

The stone axe was made entirely with primitive tools.
This type of axe is more specifically called a celt and the head is made of flint.
Chert (here used an variety of chert called flint) can be used in the manufacture of tools as it splits when struck by another hard object, such as a hammerstone made of another material. This technique of stone shaping is called knapping.
It took me a couple of weeks to learn the basics of flintknapping. The flint axe head was made in 30 minutes and the handle was made in three days.
The tools used to knap was hammerstones and antlers processed into antler billets. In the first part of the video is shown how to process an antler into an antlerbillet with grinding and a sharp stone flake.
Deer antlers can be found in the seasons when deers shed their antlers.
Antlerbillets are especially used to remove longer blades off the stone core, than the flakes removed with an hammerstone.
To make the axe handle I used the stone head to cut down an ashwood since this has some of the best strength propertys of any in this woodland and is workable too. To make the hole for the axe head I used a stone blade as chiesel and coal from the fire. With coal the fire could easily be controlled to make the hole at the shape and size desired.
I hardend the handle with fire, called firehardening.
The stone head was fitted into the hole of the handle to make a tight fit without touching the sides. This apllies the pressure from the stone in the fiber direction of the wood, where the wood is much stronger which prevents the handle from splitting.
It took approximately four minutes to cut down the tree in the end of the video. The stone head chipped a little where the head had an imperfect bevel. The head stays fixed but will probably fall out if you miss and hit with the shaft instead of the axe head.
25 smaller trees later the axe is still good and usable, though the head has become a little dull.
The axe is historically an mesolithic axe because of the head´s ungrinded form. In the neolithic age/culture people began grinding the stone head. The axe head type is called a biface.

How to split axe chopped wood on the ground with an an axe that is ground for chopping. No flat sawn ends or splitting stumps are required, and it's possible to finish with a sharp axe.
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Links: UpNorthof60 on wood splitting starting the split at the far corner, probably for the same reason that I think axe cut wood splits more easily. https://youtu.be/H10hVHCb-Ts
Buckin' Billy Ray Smith, the man, the legend. If tiger woods were a viking berzerker... https://youtu.be/K5TfKdsYycg
The common paradigm and reference point for splitting wood is using a splitting block to set rounds cut with a saw upright. Axe cut wood is not flat on the ends, so people don't know how to approach it. Sawn ends are not necessary when splitting wood with an axe, and a chopping block isn't either. This video is about ditching the whole splitting block/sawn wood paradigm in favor of just hitting the wood on the ground. The wood can be hit on the ends or set against a log or another round and hit on the side, or various things in between.
These methods can not only be effective eough, but there they can work very well and there are certain advantages. You don't have to move the wood as much, or lift it to set it on a block. a lot of pieces can be split as the lay, or will just need to be moved a little bit. The more you do it and become comfortable with the axe and confident in you ability to hit the target, the less you have to move or set the wood up.
This video is also about using light, small, short, sharp axes that are ground for chopping and not for splitting. That is about he worst case scenario, so if you can become good at using one for splitting wood, then that will translate to other chopping since you have to have everything pretty well dialed in to make it work. Short handles offer less mechanical advantage (but better aim). Sharp thin ground axes have less wedging effect and stick more easily. Using a sideways flick, twist, snap or torque a the end of the swing, or cocking the head slightly sideways as it hits the wood, can really help a lot to prevent sticking and pop the wood open more effectively. It takes a lot of practice, especially when aiming for very small areas like the center of the growth rings.
If you use your chopping axe to split, you also want to retain the edge in good condition so you can keep chopping! Occasional accidents are sure to happen, but the goal is to keep your axe out of the dirt and not break the handle, which is very achievable. Yes, it's easier to split wood with an axe if you have less regard for the edge, or have a more blunt shape to the edge which makes it stronger, but that's not what this video is really about.
Strategy is very important. you can't split wood through a knot easily if at all, so it is often necessary to hit the very center of the growth rings where there is usually a clear path through the wood to the other end unless you have cross grained wood which the exception. Hitting the wood even 1/2 inch off center can mean the difference between the wood popping in half easily or the split being stopped dead by a knot in the path. Accuracy is hard won, especially when swinging from awkward positions and trying to torque the axe sideways exactly on impact. There is no substitute for time spent splitting wood, so consider taking my cordwood challenge where I challenge people to cut and split a cord of wood with axes only, no saws allowed.

Steaming and straightening the bay axe handle I made from green wood a while back, which had warped in drying. The first steaming failed to keep it straight, so this time I make more of an effort. I soaked the handle before steaming and stretched the wood thoroughly to limber and stretch the fibers while the wood was hot and wet. The goal was to remove the memory of the wood that makes it want to revert back to it's warped shape. I've been using the axe quite a bit and it has stayed straight in spite of heavy flexing during use. Long term results may not be as good, but for now I'll call it a tentative success.
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Casting a VIKING style axe from scrap metals at home using my electric foundry and the Lost Wax Casting method:
This is a simple technique that can capture excellent details in the casting stage. The axe head is roughly cut from wax, then carved and sanded to shape. It's then surrounded by investment plaster and cooked to bake away the wax, living a viking-axe-shape void. This void is then filled with molten metal.
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A drywall hammer does a great job of seating drywall nails without tearing through the paper.
The drywall hammer head has a wide bevel with indents. This allows you to create a nice dimple in the drywall and stipples the wallboard to hold joint compound better.
The first drywall hammers were designed to allow workers to cut out electrical holes with the axe end and score the drywall to be cut to length. The hook shape on the axe end was intended carry large pieces of drywall. There was also a nail puller cut into the axe.